Customer Reviews

Repaso: A Review Workbook for Grammar, Communication, and Culture (Spanish Edition)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an excellent review book for Spanish language learners.

Be aware that there is an earlier edition which you should most definitely NOT buy: Repaso: A Complete Review Workbook for Grammar, Communication, and Culture (2001), and that the publisher has included no answer key in either edition but has published them separately and made it very difficult to match them up.

Moreover, the 2001 answer key is completely out of print and impossible to find anywhere on the web. Trust me, I've tried!

The answer key the goes with this 2004 edition of the book is Repaso A Review Workbook for Grammar, Communication, and Culture ANSWER KEY with ISBN number 0078607086 and can be found readily.

This book is a workbook designed for use by AP Spanish high schoolers, though I am using it for a non-credit adult class.

On the plus side:
- The discussion and exercises are well matched.

On the minus side:
- There are some typos, e.g. the present tense forms of one verb are listed where the preterit forms should be.
- The answer book is available only from the publisher, and will be shipped only to a school address.
** This is a major negative for adult students **

The explanations and the practice exercises are VERY good.
Frustrating to use because it does not contain the correct answers for the practice exercises. This book is TOO FAT. It could be packaged as a set of slimmer volumes by topic, so that the student and/or the teacher could handle it more easily.

I purchased this book in 2010 and didn't get to it until recently to review for an upcoming trip to South America. It's more appropriate to a school text supplement than a study book. There are many others which contain the same information - some by the same publisher. However that said... it can be a good review if you don't use the language regularly.
Also, contrary to one of the reviewers, I cannot find the answer key anywhere. Perhaps it was available when the review was written but now Amazon says it's "unavailable" and I've even called the publisher McGraw Hill. Their customer service rep was very nice and tried to help me, but they won't sell it unless you have a teacher's or homeschooler's certification (and you must prove it). If anyone knows of any other sources, I appreciate it if you would comment. I've rated this 3 stars because while the book has redeeming value as a review or study guide - there are many drawbacks. Also the level of Spanish is intermediate at best.